Secrets and Keratin Hair Treatment Review

Okay, we all have secrets...well one about me is that I am a salt-aholic. Lately I have also added sugar addict to my list, which is all part of the evil plan of the food industry to keep us eating all the food they make, and more, thus buying more. This is what I have been reading lately from more than one source and it makes perfect sense. Supposedly our bodies are designed to crave sugar and fat from the time we were introduced to our mother's breast milk. It was a survival mechanism that helped you want more, thus drink more milk, therefore growing and thriving. Sugar, Fat, and Salt are addictive because they trigger the pleasure chemical dopamine n the brain. So, basically what you have to do is try to wean yourself off the high fat, sugar and salt foods. What will inevitably happen is you will crave them much less. That is why i hate artificial sweetners. Since i switched to splenda in the morning (I have been using a splenda sweetned syrup in my coffee, hazelnut or vanilla flavored), i have been craving more sweets throught out the day. I take that back, i was craving sweets more than i wanted to, so i cut out the sugar in my coffee, thinking i had to cut it somewhere, and that was the only sugar i actually ADDED to anything...Right now i am in a vicious cycle of salt and sugar cravings that i know just a few days of abstinence would help cure. The problem is getting through the first few days!

I should correct that last statement. Salt has always been the one constant in my life. I can remember my mother scolding me for putting too much salt on absolutely everything besides those obviously sweet things. To this day, the salt shaker is close by at every meal, and it really is not good. The ironic thing is that i have LOW blood pressure, giving me the green light to go hog wild with the salt. WRONG. I am constantly bloated in my belly and i wake up puffy a few days a week. Thank goodness i sweat a lot with teaching zumba or it would be worse.

The next few posts of this blog will discuss the negative effects of salt, and what can help. I am hoping this exercise will help me for good. It feels cathartic already. According to my source, Prevention Magazine, salt : secretly increases your weight, fills up fat cells, and spikes levels of insulin while it quietly undermines your health without any signs, until it is too late!

Foods with sodium: This surprised me. A chicken caesar salad with Grilled Chicken at a fast food place has double the sodium of an order of large fries! I would of course, order the salad, looking at the calories and fat, ignoring the sodium, which will put water weight pounds on me, probably as many pounds as eating excess calories or fat would. 3 minerals which combat sodium in the body: calcium, magnesium and potassium.

More on salt next time!

Keratin Hair Treatment. The signs are all over: Keratin smoothing here, Keratin Hair Treamtments...i had gotten the japananese hair straightening system by Liscio a few years ago and it was AMAZING, but TOXIC! They used very harsh chemicals, and although it never burned my eyes or bothered me, for my hair to get and stay that straight, they had to be using some harsh stuff. The keratin system claims to be all natural and that is great. As far as results, not so great. I spent $165 and was promised not pin straight, but much smoother hair that would only require minimal straight ironing. I have very thick, coarse hair and needed something like a relaxing. It looked good the first week and after that it was down hill. One month later, and it looks like i had no treatment. BUMMER, but you live and you learn..Perhaps it would work on a person who had thinner, less coarse hair than I have, but if your hair is thick and wavy, i would look for another option. I have mentioned Naked Naturals conditioner several times in this blog, and have to say i get better smoother results when i use that than with this treatment, and that costs $8 per bottle.

Zumba, Product Reviews

Been a while, sorry about that. Busy as usual..One of the activities I have been occupied with is of course, Zumba. I was therefore, ecstatic to read about the many benefits of Latin Dance, and specifically, Zumba, in this month's Prevention Magazine. They ran an article on the different types of dance fitness crazes of late and the benefits...The area that Latin Dance/Zumba targets the most: Front and side back and abs! YES! I can tell you that is true by seeing the nicely defined obliques and tranvers abs I have acquired from regular Zumba. Prevention reminds us that it is these muscles that not only makes us look good in a bikini, but support our spine and building a stronger core improves our posture. I find poor posture is a problem for young and old alike (think that slouching teen you know or of course, how we tend to shrink and the rounded shoulder problem as we age). Yes, Prevention says, a good beat gets practically anyone moving and..."moving to music subtracts stress and ads joy. You're not (hopefully) watching the clock...you're out meeting people; it's entertainment. (and beleive me, i can be very entertaining, ask my students :) "Dance is a total body workout that has all the benefits of a long run or elliptical (although certainly not as torturous or boring) and then some"...a one hour class can burn as much as 400 calories (I have evidence that at my class it averages somewhere about 550) You'll also tone EVERY muscle in your body, improve balance, and boost brainpower." Again, I can attest to all of that! And you have seen those Dancing with the Stars body transformations...need i say more? Check out zumba.com to find a class near you and if you're near me, come to mine!

PRODUCT REVIEWS:

Revolution Ab Cuts: You know the one that Kendra Wilkinson is endorsing, although not in ads, but speaking about her success with it on talk shows (yes, she is paid to do that, sneaky, huh?) I got it at a super discount so thought i would try it.
Experiment: I have been taking it 2 pills, three times a day with meals.
What's in it: It was the stuff that i was buying in supplements anyway (ones that are not cheap by the way) It says an 800mg serving of the following: CLA, GLA, ALA, EPA, DHA, Sesame Oil and Vitamin E. So it's not one of those supplements with caffeine added to boost metabolism. If you have read the Perricone Prescription, these are many of the supplements he says to take to burn fat, boost metabolism, slow aging, etc. Question is the dosage: is roughly 100 mg per ingredient listed enough? 3x a day, yes i would say.
Company Claim: Targets mid-section, butt, and stomach fat.

RESULTS: Been taking it since March 1. Went on vacation and ate healthily, but not in moderation. Besides one week of vacation, have been limiting alcohol intake. When i got back from vacation, the scale was 2 lbs less than when i left! That was good news. Remember, i exercise regularly, and watch what i eat, but keep in mind i do have slip up days. So, i would have to say that i do like this supplement, but it is pricey (about $40-50 for 120 pills, 3-6 per day). The bottle is almost gone. I would say it has helped, but watching what you eat and limiting sugar and salt intake would help probably in same way. BOTTOM LINE: When ingredients listed are on sale or ab cuts is on sale, buy it. Otherwise, save your money!

Spray Tanning: A perfect, safe way to get a nice bronze coloring to kick off the season. MUST GET IT sprayed on by a person, not a machine! They will match the shade to your skin tone and spray it on precisely, no streaks! Lasts 10-12 days...Try Envious Bronze if you live in Maine. www.enviousbronze.com LOVED MINE.

Evercleanse Detox/3 Step Colon Cleanse System: Bought this at Rite Aid for $17 (originally $44)
Pros: A detox system that you don't need to dramatically change your ordinary diet.

System: 3 parts: Colon Health tablets, a fiber powder you drink, and pro-biotics tablet.

Claim: Increases nutritional absorption, decreases appetite, gentle, removes pathogenic bacteria, increases vitality, helps remove toxins in the intestinal track, increases good bowel movements, helps you lose weight. Cleanse, detox, and replenish, maintain a healthy digestive system.

RESULTS: Definitely don't waste your money. I felt constipated and or gassy when i took this. Did not decrease my appetite in the least.
I do feel energetic, but i attribute this to my regular routine of exercise and healthy eating! That's all you need. Your body will clean itself out! PLENTY OF COLD ICED LEMON WATER IS THE KEY!!

Hope this helps! Have a great day!!

New AGE, and I'm Not Talking in Spiritual Terms and the Ultimate Health Product: WATER

Hello All, so time to update my photo now that i have turned 42! Its a great time in my life. I am as fit as i have ever been and that is a blessing. To be able to move the way we do in zumba at this age is a great feeling. The endorphin rush is like no other high i have felt. SUNNY SKIES are in abundance after a zumba session....thankfully i found this and through the confidence of being in my early 40s i talked myself into doing this as a part time job! Being a fitness instructor is a life choice i have always admired and NEVER did i think i would be one. Now, i have my appointment with guaranteed happiness 4x a week. You can too, just make the commitment to yourself, its time...

I don't mean just exercise. I mean choosing the healthiest fuel for your body and eating these things while fully paying attention so you will know truly when enough is enough...



WATER: SO although i have been doing well in keeping my excesses to a minimum and eating healthily, today was not my best day. The good news is it was not my worst either. I did not run with it, the old mental recording did not win. The one that always tells me, "well, you already ate X, so you might as well eat everything in site and start fresh tomorrow". I took a moment to think about how i would feel the next day and didn't want it! So i stopped myself. One day at a time, it felt good.

I ate salty things, so i woke up (here i am at 1:30 a.m.) thirsty. Not wanting puffiness in the a.m. i googled "how to rid body of excess salt". I know about potassium, but really didn't want to eat a banana or anything esle at the moment. To my surprise, this article and many like it popped up toting the claim that the number one thing you can do to get rid of excess water and salt is to drink more water! Read on, i found it fascinating, and i sit here with iced lemon water....AHHH and the price is right on water!

Incredible as it may seem...

Water is the single most important catalyst in losing weight and keeping it off!

Although most of us take it for granted...

Pure, clean water may be the only true Magic Potion for permanent weight loss!

Water suppresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase!

And an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits!

Here's the reason why...

The kidneys cannot function properly without enough water. When they do not work to capacity, some of their load is dumped on the liver. One of the liver's primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy for the body. But if the liver has to do some of the kidney's work, it cannot work at full throttle.

As a result, it metabolizes less fat... more fat remains stored in the body and weight loss stops!

Drinking an adequate amount of water every day is the best treatment for fluid retention. But when your body is given less water than it needs... it perceives the shortage as a threat to survival and will begin to retain every drop. Water reserves are stored in extra-cellular spaces (outside the cells). This water can show up as swollen feet, hands and legs.

Diuretics only offer a temporary solution at best. They force out stored water along with some essential nutrients. Again, the body perceives a threat and will replace the lost water at the first opportunity. Thus, the condition quickly returns.

The best way to overcome the problem of water retention is to give your body what it needs — plenty of water — only then will stored water be released.

If water retention is a constant problem for you... excess salt may be to blame!

Your body will only tolerate sodium in certain concentrations. The more salt you eat, the more water your system retains to dilute it. But getting rid of unneeded salt is easy — just drink more water!

As the water is forced through the kidneys, it will remove the excess sodium.

Over weight people need more water than thin people. Larger people have larger metabolic loads. Since we know that water is the key to fat metabolism... it follows that the over weight person needs more water to metabolize excess fat.

Water helps to maintain proper muscle tone... which in turn, aids proper muscle contraction and prevents dehydration. It also helps to prevent the sagging skin that usually follows weight loss. Shrinking cells are buoyed by water which plums the skin and leaves it clear, healthy and resilient.

Water helps rid the body of waste. During weight loss, the body has more waste to get rid of, and all that metabolized fat must be shed.

Again — water helps flush out this waste!

Water can help relieve constipation . . .

The colon is a primary internal water source. When the body gets too little water, it siphons what it needs from internal sources. Result? Constipation. But when a person drinks enough water... normal bowel function will return.

So far, we have discovered same remarkable truths about water and about weight loss... The body will not function properly without enough water and cannot metabolize stored fat efficiently. On the household weight scales... Retained water shows up as excess weight.

It may seem strange, but to get rid of excess water... You must drink more water!

Drinking water is essential to losing weight.

How much water is enough?

If you are a normal weight for your height, then on average you should drink (8) eight — 8 oz. glasses of pure water every day. However, if you are overweight you should take (1) one additional glass for every 25 lbs. of excess weight you are trying to lose. The amount that you drink should be increased if you exercise, or if the weather is hot and dry.

Preferably, your drinking water should be taken cold...

Cold water is absorbed more quickly into the system than warm water. Some evidence suggests that drinking cold water can actually burn calories. To utilize water most efficiently during weight loss, follow this schedule:


Morning: 1 Quart of pure water over 30 minutes
Noon: 1 Quart of pure water over 30 minutes
Evening: 1 Quart of pure water between 5-6 P.M.


When the body gets all the water it needs to function optimally, all body system fluids will perfectly balance.

When this happens . . . you reach the "breakthrough point".

So what does that mean?

•Endocrine gland function improves...


•Fluid retention is alleviated as stored water is lost...


•More fat can be used as fuel because the liver is free to metabolize stored fat...


•Natural thirst returns...


•There is a loss of hunger almost overnight.
But don't forget this...

If you stop drinking enough water your body fluids
will again be thrown out of balance . . .

Once again you may experience fluid retention, unexplained weight gain and loss of thirst!

So what's the remedy this situation?

Start over . . . Increase your water intake to force another breakthrough!

Reprinted from "The Snowbird Diet" by Donald S. Roberston, M.D., M. Sc.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now that you understand the importance of increasing your daily water intake, there's another problem we need address...

Specifically, where to get pure, contamination free, water. Inspite of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) water purification and treatment standards for municipal water systems, there continues to be incidents of contamination which can be harmful to your health.

Residual cryptosporidium and giardia from fecal matter not properly filtered out of the source water supply, high toxic levels of treatment chlorine and lead are not only harmful, but in extreme cases can cause death.

An additional source of lead poisoning can be from lead which is leached into the water from old household piping or lead-based piping solder. Having your water tested by a local or State Department of Health is one solution, but this only provides a snap-shot of your water's quality and purity.

A more practical and reliable solution may be to get a home Water Filtration System...

For just pennies per gallon, you can have all the pure water you need. And when compared to bottled water services and commercial water treatment systems, you can't beat the convenience or cost!

There are many types of water filtration systems perfect for home and office applications.

Jack La Lalanne, Bridalplasty, and Daughters

I must start off with the death of Jack Lalanne, the founding father of the fitness movement, who, as I am sure you were wondering, died at age....96. This is a man who according to his agent "exercised and ate healthily every day of his life". I didn't know this about him until reading his obituary, but he had a fitness show from 1950-1970, which urged kids to go wake up their mothers and drag them in front of the TV to exercise! Talk about a man before his time. Well, longevity he certainly experienced, but more importantly was the quality of his life. Hey, his dog's name was Happy! This is a very telling fact about a guy who treated his body right. If we all did this, i do believe we would all be happy. According to Lalanne, "the only way to hurt your body is not to use it...inactivity is the killer, and remember, it is never too late!"

Thin life crisis is geared towards all of us interested in our health, but as the name suggests, i think i cover topics geared towards those approaching or in mid life. Lalanne's message is one to hear loud and clear: it is never too late even if each day you fall off the health wagon, just get right back on. This is a thank you to Jack Lalanne and people like him (and me I hope) trying to introduce people all the benfits of fitness and health. The only difference between Jack and I is that i don't eat healthy and exercise EVERY day, but i do try!

BRIDALPLASTY: I am seriously concerned about the mental state of women in our country. Have you seen this most offensive and ridiculous show? It show petty, shallow, numb women vying for their fantasy wedding. Okay, we've seen reality shows like this before. But this one takes it a step futher: The top prize includes all the plastic surgery procedures their hearts desire to be performed before their wedding day so they can have their perfect day! I don't even know where to start with this. First of all, who would want to marry any one of these air heads? But, i digress. I am not here to women bash. What i do want to ask is WHY?? Why is it that women think they need to be fixed? Why can't they see how wrong this is? Do their prospective husbands just want a cookie cutter bride who has a straigh nose and thin thighs? I am just appauled. I have nothing more to say on this!

Now to a much more important topic, one which i will just introduce now, but will most likely delve further into another time: Our Daughters and the messages that health conscious mothers are sending to them. I am so torn and i would love some feedback. Yes, i am conscious of what i eat and exercise as a fitness instructor. I thought i was being a good role model. I NEVER comment on my body (too fat, skinny, whatever) and i never comment on my tween or 6 year old daughter's physiques. I know they are very impressionable and hang on every word i say, so i certainly don't want to give them any complexes. But they are very intuitive..they pick up on everything. So now i am hearing things from them like oh my legs are too big, or they will jiggle around the extra skin on their calves and say oh i hate this extra skin. I did bring it to their attention that they need the extra skin in order for their muscles to be able to move freely and that seemed enlightening.

My question is how do you make them health conscious and portion aware without creating issues and angst? Their is a high percentage of childhood obesity, so there is a need particulaly in this country for education, but where is the line? I wanted to not bring it up with them so that it would not be an issue. But i think that is the wrong approach.

I have a friend who shows her daughter the portion size on the box, which i think is a good thing. Not enough of us know what a proper serving of something looks like. I have always tried to incorporate eat everything in moderation, eat until you are comfortable, not stuffed. They tend not to eat enough of the healthy foods at times, so i do ask them to take a few more bites, but certainly if they say they are full, I excuse them from the table. I just wish for them a life that does not include wasting so much time on what they eat or look like. But, judging by Bridalplasty, i think we're all in trouble! Comments?

CRAVINGS AN INTERESTING ARTICLE by Martica Heaner, found on MSN

A Cure for Out-of-Control Cravings
What to do when chips, chocolate or another favorite splurge food keeps calling your name.
By Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., for MSN Health & FitnessQ: My cravings are out of control. I do cardio at least five days a week for at least 40 minutes and lift weights three days a week. But I still have excess body fat and I suspect it might be because after eating really well for a few days, I then develop uncontrollable cravings and I keep eating and eating until I feel full. This happens every couple of days. How can I stop this?

A: It's hard to say exactly what may be contributing to your cravings or resistance to fat loss without knowing more specifics—the intensity of your workouts, how long you've been following this routine, whether you've lost weight recently, how close to a "normal" body weight and healthy body-fat percentage you are, and how much you eat on binge and non-binge days. But it sure sounds like your tendency to overeat several days of the week may be counteracting the calorie-burn you're getting from your workouts, making it harder to slim down.

Cravings may be complicated

Grab any diet book and you'll find a number of theories about what causes cravings. Some claim that eating too much sugar, or too many foods that have a high glycemic index, or foods that do not have enough fiber or fat can make you hungry soon after eating. Some say not eating enough protein or going too long without snacking can trigger cravings. Some suggest than hunger can actually indicate emotional hunger, so any practical advice on food or fitness won't get to the root of the problem. These proposed causes may play a role, but, in reality, it may not be that simple.

For example, while greater amounts of protein and fiber in the diet have been found to be more satiating, if you are under-eating or burning a lot more calories than you are consuming, chances are you're going to be hungry no matter what—your body simply needs more fuel, sparking your cravings. If your perception of your "good" days—when you're eating well—are actually days when you are taking in too few calories, your body eventually may demand more calories to try to balance out your energy intake versus your energy expenditure over the week. If you're bored or lonely, you might not be physically hungry, but a preoccupation with food may be a psychological trigger to add stimulus or comfort to your life.

If you're not eating enough compared to the calorie burn you are accumulating from daily workouts, you're likely to feel hungry and seek out more food. If you go long periods without eating—skipping breakfast, and avoiding eating dinner past 6 or 7 p.m., for example—you might be creating a rollercoaster energy supply that leads to a few days where your body tries to stock up by stimulating you to eat more to make up for the periods of not eating enough food. Often, highly caloric foods are the most appealing when your body wants fuel fast.

Cravings may also have a biological component. If you've lost weight recently, biochemical triggers may kick in to try to help the body to regain the lost body fat. Recent research suggests that genetic influences may affect things like how fast you get hungry after eating, how full you feel from eating, and how active you are when you are not exercising.

Just as there are many potential reasons why you may be getting cravings, there may be a variety of solutions that can help you abolish them.

Are you eating enough?

Your first step should be to make sure that you are eating enough to fuel your energy expenditure. If you're hungry, your body is going to demand food, so make sure you are well-fueled every day. If you're trying to diet, take a non-drastic approach: Cut out a couple of hundred calories each day, not thousands.

It's impossible to know exactly how many calories you're eating and burning each day, but you can do the math to get an estimate and try to keep on track. By keeping a diet diary, you can spot obvious culprits—like days when you don't have time for breakfast, then you don't eat lunch until 2 p.m., and then you end up binging the rest of the day. Or days where you do a greater amount of exercise (your regular workout plus lots of extra walking, for example), yet you restrict how much you eat. If you are compelled to eat twice as much the following day, it might simply be because you deprived yourself the day before.

Or, you might spot a seemingly innocent snack that adds a whopping amount of calories to an otherwise "good" day (a pint of premium ice cream can take 10 or 15 minutes to eat but add 1,000 to 1,200 calories, the equivalent of perhaps half of your day's calories; frequent dipping into a co-worker's candy dish can add hundreds of calories). If you're careful to include lots of details in your diet diary, such as the times of day you eat, and what you're doing and how you're feeling when you eat, you may be able to spot cues that trigger you to eat more. One lesson from cognitive-behavioral therapy is to learn to avoid those certain cues— or teach yourself new behaviors—in response to certain triggers.

Use these tools to help track your energy intake, output and needs.

Controlling cravings

Learning more about your diet patterns can help you figure out how to improve how you eat, but you should also prepare a plan of action for when a craving hits. Try these suggestions:

Take a time-out. Ask yourself if you are really hungry? Can you go for a walk around the block instead?
Water it down. Start by drinking a glass of water. Sometimes thirst can be mistaken for hunger. Even if you are hungry, water can help to start to fill you up.
Put it off. Consider that you may be able to eat more or less depending on what you've had already today, and over the past few days, and depending on how much physical activity you've fit in. If you've been highly active, a little snack may not matter. If you've been a complete couch potato all week, maybe you can make a deal with yourself. You'll exercise today, and have an extra snack tomorrow.
Choose low-cal nibbles. Figure out ways to feed the cravings that don't pack on a lot of calories: eat a piece of fresh fruit (or two). If part of what you crave is the physical feeling of fullness, getting it from high-fiber, low-calorie foods like fruits and veggies is better than stuffing yourself with fattening snacks.
Eat. If you are still obsessing, eat a small amount of what you're craving.
Use portion control. Be aware of how you dish it out. Rather than grab an entire giant bag of potato chips, dole out a serving in a small dish. Then close the bag properly and store it up high, out of sight, in a cupboard. If you're eating a candy bar, give yourself 1/3 or 1/2, then toss the rest (or save it, if you think you can resist the temptation to come back for more.)
Enjoy. Eat your splurge food slowly. Make the most of each mouthful. Keep in mind that most of the pleasure you get from eating is in your taste buds. So the satisfaction you feel when succumbing to a craving is not from the quantity that you shovel down, but from the seconds spent savoring what's in your mouth. Fat has a distinctively pleasurable mouth-feel, which is one reason why fattening foods hold so much appeal.
Write it down. Successful weight-losers tend to keep ongoing diet diaries. You may get to a point where you can plan in sensible splurges without upsetting your overall caloric intake.
As every day is different, experiment with different strategies that you can whip out when needed: one day the walk might work, another day, a half portion of a sweet you love may suffice, another day you might be able to eat a whole bag of mini-carrots and feel satiated.

Post Thanksgiving Thoughts

I was tempted to write on Thanksgiving, but I thought I would enjoy the day and see how it went, food wise. I did well. I followed my own advice that i was going to give you: wear a figure flattering, form fitting (not tight) outfit. I know from experience that when I wear something loose or too "comfortable" it is more likely that i will overeat. At least in my case when i wear something form fitting, i am more conscious of how i look and how i will feel after a huge meal. Thus, no huge meal, just a tasty meal that i easily stopped myself when i had enough.

My problems started the day after...I did so well Thanksgiving but gave into temptations for a few days after. Oh well, I am not going to beat myself up, like i mentioned last time, if you take a wrong turn, get back on the right road. One of my main problems and I know i am not alone in this, is if i overindulged say on a Friday or Saturday Night, I won't start getting back into my healthy groove until Monday. I convince myself weekends/holidays were made for this sort of gluttony, and i will behave the rest of the week starting Monday. And i do behave. I eat well and generally not too much. But, as an article I just read outlined, this just can't work. Yes, i won't gain a ton of weight doing this, but it will not help me achieve my fitness goals longterm. I will be on this see-saw indefinitely and this is what bothers me.

Its up to me, just as it is up to you how you treat your bodies in terms of what you put in them. I am thankful for my regular exercise routine, and if that is all you have at the moment, it's better than nothing.

GOOD NEWS: I have been a willing guinea pig for you all trying various new beauty products and services. Got a winner here: The new gel manicures work! Sometimes called Shellac or just gel, they are awesome! They promise that they will last for up to 2 weeks and cost anywhere from $20-$30 per. I got mine the Friday before thanksgiving and it still looks good. No chips...I was told there was no dry time, but actually there was more of a dry time because they have to put the gel on in stages...so be prepared for about 15 more than you are used to for a regular manicure. BUT SO WORTH IT. And my nails have grown more it seems cause the gel seems to make them stronger or protect them. I will be a regular patron of these. My one question is does the gel come off easily or do you have to go back to the salon to get it off? Will tell when the time comes.

Diet -vs- Exercise

Hi there! Been a while but this blog and the topics it covers are never out of my thoughts. I often wonder why this is: some people are completely obsessed with fitness and health and others just aren't. I guess this is a topic for another day. One theory i have is that those people who aren't haven't tasted fit! Pun intended. Fit feels fantastic, and as much as I love food, i think it feels better than a butterscotch sundae. Because you don't feel horrible after being fit!

Being fit, bottom line is a combination of diet and exercise, PERIOD. I have long fought the belief that diet has as much to to with physique as it does. You are what you eat, simple. Not easy to do the right thing in terms of eating all the time, but you can give it your best shot each day. Number one rule: If you slip, get right back on track. I heard this from Dr. OZ. He said if you were travelling along a road and you made a wrong turn, you wouldn't keep going in the wrong direction, you would turn around and get on the right road, trying to find your way to where you should be! Perfect analogy for healthy eating. I do this, and it took me a long time to really do it. Before, if i slipped i would indulge the rest of the day, telling myself i would start tomorrow. I can't say i don't have episodes like that anymore, but they are fewer.

About a year ago, I was at a ladies day out and the leader asked each of us to write a note to ourselves about our goals for bettering ourselves. I wrote to control my portions and to engage in CONSISTENT exercise. Being a person of extremes, which probably explains my bouts of indulgence, i am now the exercise instructor. (I am always SO envious of those power eaters whose job is to each endlessly say 100 hot dogs in 5 minutes. I say to myself, I can do that! There are even a few who are thin, go figure...healthy, not so sure.) Being the instructor is a good thing for me as i tended like most to blow off classes or exercise routines. The outcome has been very interesting. Teaching 6 classes a week plus practicing routines, in my book is plenty of exercise. I have seen amazing changes in my body after doing it for about a year. Am i perfect? NO. I know i will never will be, but i think if i had a more consistent diet i could be a heck of a lot closer. Some of my problem areas have changed dramtically, some have changed only slightly.

Bottom line: I can force myself to exercise (not so much forcing because i found exercise that I LOVE), but I do not have the discipline for 100% healthy eating. There are too many forces working for me to be able to control it directly. Hormones, fatigue, carbs and the effects...sugar and blood sugar levels..I know what to avoid, but i don't always. All i can say is when i do hit the detours, i will turn around and try to find my way once again. Will you? Hope so because you are worth it.

Beauty Tip: Best Hair Conditioner EVER: Naked Naturals. I am using this one right now. I have thick course hair and it is the only one that makes my hair silky and smoother, without using alot! Try it!